Nashville Predators

Player News - Predators

The Nashville Predators will look to complete contract extensions with both Filip Forsberg and Seth Jones in the near future.

Both players are key pieces of Nashville's team and they are scheduled to become Restricted Free-Agents after the 2015-16 season. "It's something that we'll probably engage, have some conversations as we get closer to training camp," General Manager David Poile said. "In my mind, I think the relationships are good with the players and the agents. When we (find) the opportune time to move forward with something, whether that's later in the summer or more probably during the season next year, we will try to (find) the correct time to do that."

The Nashville Predators know that they will eventually have to replace their two aging centers.

The Predators have Mike Ribeiro and Mike Fisher who are both 35-years-old. "We're realistic that we have two 35-year-old centers that we've eventually got to replace, whether that's in two years, three years," Predators general manager David Poile said. "I said to both of them, 'I hope you play a lot longer than that.' But you just never know when Father Time catches (up to you)." Both players were productive last season and the Predators will need them to keep producing if they want to make the playoffs again in 2015-16. Fisher finished with 19 goals and 39 points in just 59 games, while Ribeiro scored 15 goals and 62 points in 82 games.

Cody Franson remains an unsigned free agent as all arbitration cases are now completed in the NHL.

It’s been one of the biggest surprises of the NHL free agency frenzy this season as Franson is one of the most underrated defensemen in the league. This past season he helped his teams increase their shot-attempts for and reduce shot-attempts against as well as improved his team’s goals-for and against. His on-ice impact has created a very bizarre situation for NHL owners as Franson could be seeking a deal worth roughly $5 million annually, which will be well deserved. It’s a matter of time before someone locks him up to a long term deal and he becomes a reliable fantasy defenseman for next season.

Colin Wilson has signed a four-year, $15.75 million deal with the Nashville Predators.

Wilson was set to have an arbitration hearing on Tuesday, but this deal makes it moot. He had requested a $4.25 million payday from the arbitrator while Nashville had countered at $3 million. This deal obviously leans more towards Wilson's request than Nashville's, but the Predators must feel that's a fair trade off to lock him up for a longer term. He'll turn 26 in October and is coming off of a season where he scored 20 goals and 42 points in 77 games.

Viktor Arvidsson is a player to keep an eye on in Predators training camp.

Adam Vingan, the team's beat reporter at The Tennessean, believes Arvidsson can make the opening-night roster. Not only did Arvidsson lead Nashville’s American Hockey league team with 55 points last season, he also led the league with 272 shots on goal, so the chances were there. He was pointless in six NHL games, but he has a real shot to carve out a role in the bottom-six in the 2015-16 campaign. Arvidsson was fourth-round pick of the Predators from the 2014 draft.

Colin Wilson and the Predators are $1.25 million apart in their arbitration offers.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Wilson has asked for $4.25 million, while the Predators have filed for $3 million. Wilson had 20 goals and 42 points, both of which were career highs, last season. He earned $2.5 million last season.

Jack Dougherty is expected to play in the Western Hockey League next season.

The 2014 second-round pick of the Predators signed a three-year, entry-level deal Friday. He’ll play with the Portland Winterhawks, according to the Predators. The 19-year-old had nine points with the University of Wisconsin last season.

Now that the Predators have avoided arbitration with Craig Smith, they would also like to do so with Colin Wilson.

"There are similarities with them, so we’ll probably have the same arguments in (the brief)," Poile said of Wilson and Smith. "Having said that, we would certainly like to have conversations this week now that Craig Smith’s contract is settled with Colin Wilson’s agent to see whether there’s a contract that can be done vs. going to arbitration." Wilson's arbitration hearing is set for July 28th.

Jack Dougherty has inked a three-year, entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators.

Dougherty had two goals and nine points in 33 games with the University of Wisconsin last season. He was selected by Nashville with the 51st overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. We don't expect him to be able to make the leap straight to the Predators' opening game roster.

It sounds like there aren't any hard feelings over the things said in Craig Smith's arbitration hearing.

Smith agreed to a five-year, $21.25 million contract with the Nashville Predators, but that contract was inked after the arbitration hearing, but before the judgment. Typically meeting with an arbitrator is seen as undesirable because it puts the team in a position to criticize the player's abilities in front of said player. On that Smith said, "I'm my worst critic. ... I've probably said worse things (about) myself than what I heard (in) there." Of course, the fact that he made a long-term commitment with the Predators after the hearing is a good indicator that he's still happy with the franchise.

Cody Franson thinks that Boston would be an interesting landing spot for him.

Franson is arguably the most desirable unrestricted free agent left on the market. He says he's been talking to five or six clubs and the Bruins are on that list. Franson had seven goals and 36 points in 78 contests last season.

Cody Franson says there's been a lot of interest in his services despite the fact that nothing's gotten done yet.

Franson thinks this summer's cap crunch has been a contributing factor in him still being an unrestricted free agent and that seems likely. He'll definitely end up with a contract, but he might have to settle for a one-year deal in the hope that next summer's market will be more favorable.

Craig Smith has inked a five-year, $21.25 million contract with the Nashville Predators.

Smith and the Predators were scheduled to have their arbitration hearing today. According to Elliotte Friedman, it sounds like they did have the hearing, but agreed on a long-term deal afterwards rather than wait for the ruling. Smith had 23 goals and 44 points in 82 contests last season.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.ca, there is a $1.75 million difference between what Craig Smith has asked for and what the Predators have offered in arbitration.

Smith is a restricted free agent who will go to an arbitration hearing if an agreement isn’t made by July 20. Friedman says that Smith has requested $4.75 million, while the Predators are offering $3 million. Smith earned $2 million last season, one that saw him record 23 goals and 44 points. The Predators have just $20.5 million in cap space, with two restricted free agents to sign, according to generalfanager.com